Abstract
The consumer preference for custard pudding has changed to a soft type using cream and yolk. This study investigates the microstructure of pudding samples prepared with different proportions of milk, milk cream, vegetable cream, whole egg, and egg yolk. The respective diameters of fat particles of the milk, milk cream, and vegetable cream were 0.63±0.12 μm, 2.64±0.18 μm, and 2.02±0.18 μm. The samples made with cream were harder than those made with milk. The distribution pattern of protein and fat in the pudding samples was clearly identified by using the protein-fat double-staining method. Protein in the pudding formed a reticular structure, while the fat particles were distributed throughout the protein mesh. The samples made with milk had very small evenly distributed fat globules (0.9 μm2 in cross-sectional area). The samples made with milk and vegetable cream contained many fat particles which were large, partly fused, and unevenly distributed. The fat droplets of vegetable cream were highly aggregated and less dispersed in the pudding samples than the fat globules of milk cream. These results will be useful in formulating the composition of commercial custard pudding.